What Documents to Bring to Your Accountant for Year-End

When a client joins us, the first thing I normally see is that their year-end could have been far easier if someone had guided them properly. People underestimate how many documents are needed to produce accurate year-end accounts and corporation tax returns. They assume software has everything, or that their accountant already knows the numbers. In reality, your accountant can only work with what you provide, and missing documents almost always lead to delays.

If you want your year-end to run smoothly, avoid questions, reduce tax and keep HMRC satisfied, then it all starts with having the right information ready.

Let me take you through every document you should bring.

1. Business Bank Statements

Your accountant needs statements for every account used in the business. This includes:

• Main business current account
• Secondary accounts
• Savings accounts
• Foreign currency accounts
• Holding accounts
• Loan or credit accounts

Even if you use accounting software, bank statements are essential because they confirm the accuracy of your year-end balances. Many clients assume their software is perfectly reconciled when it is not. Bank statements remove doubt and protect you from HMRC enquiries later.

2. Credit Card Statements

If you use a business credit card, your accountant needs those statements too. They show:

• Business purchases
• Interest charges
• Fees
• Outstanding balances

I have seen many small businesses forget about their credit card transactions until the last minute. This creates huge gaps in the accounts and leads to incorrect profit figures.

3. Loan Agreements and Finance Documents

Any kind of borrowing must be documented properly at year-end. This includes:

• Loan agreements
• HP or finance documents
• Asset finance
• Government-backed loans
• Merchant cash advance information

These documents tell your accountant:

• How much interest was paid
• How much is capital repayment
• What still needs to be shown as a liability

If these are missing, your accounts will not be accurate.

4. Invoices Issued to Customers

Your accountant needs a complete record of all sales, including:

• Sales invoices
• Pro-forma invoices
• Credit notes issued
• Any sales not recorded in software

Not every client uses software correctly. I often see gaps where invoices were created manually, emailed separately, or generated outside of the system. Missing sales invoices create incorrect profit, VAT mistakes and potential HMRC issues.

5. Purchase Invoices and Receipts

Your expenses must be supported by evidence. Bring or upload:

• Receipts
• Supplier invoices
• Mileage logs
• Digital copies
• Email confirmations
• Software subscription receipts

This protects you if HMRC ever checks your claim and ensures you are not missing out on valuable expense deductions.

6. Payroll Information

If you run payroll, your accountant needs:

• Monthly payroll summaries
• P60s
• P45s for leavers
• Pension contribution reports
• Any benefits provided

Payroll directly affects:

• Corporation tax
• NI calculations
• Director’s salary strategy
• PAYE liabilities

Missing this information leads to under or overreported costs.

7. VAT Returns and Working Papers

If your business is VAT registered, your accountant must check:

• All VAT submissions
• Supporting VAT reports
• Any VAT adjustments
• Differences between software and submissions

Even a small VAT error can cause a ripple effect across your accounts.

8. Director’s Loan Account Movements

This is one of the most misunderstood areas for Bedford directors. Your accountant needs:

• Details of money taken from the company
• Personal expenses paid by the company
• Money lent to the company
• Dividends taken
• Any repayments

This ensures your Director’s Loan Account is accurate and avoids:

• Section 455 tax
• Illegal dividends
• Benefit in kind charges

Every year I fix multiple DLA problems because clients assumed their accountant did not need the detail.

9. Stock Figures and Inventory Counts

If your business holds stock, your accountant needs:

• Stock value at year-end
• Stock purchased but not yet used
• Write-offs or damaged stock
• Work-in-progress values

Your profit depends on this figure being correct. Stock errors can massively inflate or reduce your taxable profit.

10. Asset Purchases and Disposal Documents

Your accountant needs to know about:

• New equipment bought
• Old equipment sold
• Assets scrapped
• Upgrades or replacements

This is essential for capital allowances, which can reduce your corporation tax bill significantly.

11. Insurance Documents

Not for compliance, but for accuracy. Insurance payments affect your expenses and some policies need to be prorated if they cover more than one year.

12. Any Grants or Government Support

If you received:

• Grants
• Local authority support
• Tax credits
• Trading allowances

These must be recorded correctly for year-end reporting. Missing this can cause major tax inaccuracies.

13. Any Personal Transactions That Went Through the Business Account

This happens more than you think. Directors often use the company card without thinking, then forget the transaction was personal. Your accountant needs to know about these so they can correct the entries and avoid inaccurate tax calculations.

14. Lease Agreements and Property Costs

If you rent an office, workshop or warehouse, bring:

• Lease agreements
• Service charge documents
• Annual rent schedules
• Utility statements

These help with expense planning and accuracy.

15. Details of Any Changes During the Year

Year-end is the moment to tell your accountant about:

• New business activities
• New staff
• Directors joining or leaving
• Changing business structure
• New subscriptions or software
• New investment plans

Your accountant needs the full picture to prepare accurate accounts and give proper advice.

Why These Documents Matter More Than You Think

Year-end accounts form the foundation of:

• Your corporation tax return
• Your personal tax planning
• Your ability to take dividends
• Your Director’s Loan Account accuracy
• Your mortgage and lending applications
• Your HMRC compliance

If the documents are incomplete, rushed or missing, everything downstream becomes harder. Missing documents are the number one reason accountants take longer or ask endless follow-up questions.

When the paperwork is complete, your accountant can work quickly, give better advice and reduce your tax legally. When it is incomplete, the accountant has to guess or delay work, and the final result will not be as accurate as it should be.

How Towerstone Makes Year-End Easy

At Towerstone we work hand in hand with Bedford clients to make year-end easy rather than stressful. We do not offer weekend or in person evening appointments, but we do speak with clients during early evenings where needed. Our process is simple:

We send you a clear checklist
We gather all documents digitally
We review everything step by step
We prepare clean and compliant accounts
We correct all errors
We plan your salary and dividends
We explain your tax clearly

Clients often tell us that our year-end process is the easiest they have ever experienced because they finally know exactly what information they need.

The Bottom Line for Bedford Business Owners

If you want a clean, accurate and stress-free year-end, the documents listed above are essential. You do not have to understand the technical side. You do not have to prepare everything perfectly. You simply need to give your accountant the right information so they can do their job properly.

Good accounts depend on good records. The more prepared you are, the smoother the entire year-end process will be.